Acupuncture Treatment
How Might Acupuncture Be Helpful For Pain Relief?
The NIH Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine says there is also evidence that acupuncture treatment increases the body's electro-magnetic flow, which could cause the release of endorphins.
According to the 1997 National Institutes of Health Panel, clinical studies have shown that medical acupuncture for pain relief is helpful in treating many types of chronic pain. These include: headache, menstrual cramps, tennis elbow, fibromyalgia, myofascial pain, osteoarthritis, low back pain and carpal tunnel syndrome. The World Health Organization lists more than 40 conditions for which treatment with acupuncture for pain relief may be effective.
Does Acupuncture Hurt?
Acupuncture needles are metallic and sterile, used once and discarded. Needles are solid (not hollow, as are hypodermic or vaccination needles) and are only slightly larger than the width of human hair. Patients can feel the needle touching the skin, but there is no pain. It isn’t a tall like having an injection.
When the needle locates the trigger point, there may be a “grabbing” sensation, followed by a relaxed, heavy feeling and overall body warmth. Some patients even fall asleep during treatment. Side effects are rare, but there may be some soreness or light headedness following treatment.
Using needles for acupuncture treatment for pain relief cannot be done at home. It must be carried out by suitably trained and reputable practitioners. You want to be confident that the needles are sterile and that your medical profile is understood. Electro acupuncture on the other hand does not pierce the skin and can be used at home, after training by a therapist. The electro acupuncture device will be supplied by your therapist.
When pain is relieved, patients often feel a greater sense of well-being overall, physically and emotionally. As a result, they may heal faster.
Choosing an Acupuncture Therapist
In the USA Medical practitioners are allowed to provide acupuncture treatment after a basic training of 200-300 hours.
Choose a practicing member of the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture (AAMA) or one who is certified by the American Board of Medical Acupuncture Organizations, such as the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture, National Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Alliance and The American Association of Oriental Medicine. These organizations provide lists of credentialed acupuncture practitioners.
If you choose a licensed acupuncturist who is not an MD check that your practitioner has been certified by The National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM) in Alexandria, Virginia, and gets continuing education in the field. Naturopaths and chiropractors should have at least 200 hours of training and be approved by their state licensing boards.
Acupuncture Resources
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The Pain Cure: The Proven Medical Program that Helps End Your Chronic Pain This is very helpful book from Dr. Dharma Singh Khalsa,M.D., the founding director of the Acupuncture Stress Medicine and Chronic Pain Program at The University of Arizona Teaching Hospital in Phoenix. Dr. Dharma Singh Khalsa trained at Harvard Medical School and UCLA School of Medicine. He discusses the use of acupuncture in pain management in this excellent book.
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Biomedical Acupuncture for Pain Management: An Integrative Approach This is text book for practitioners who wish to or who already do, incorporate acupuncture into their practice. This book has received very positive feedback from practitioners and patients alike.
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Acupressure Atlas "Both the medical doctors authoring this book, have through painstaking thoroughness, explained and elucidated every point, meridian and technique to facilitate the reader to obtain expertise in this self-healing form of treatment." (Sheela Bhojwani, East and West Series, Vol. 50, No. 3, Mar 2008 ) |
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Acupressure Points "This is a very useful reference for anyone interested in playing an active part in healing themselves. Just look up your complaint (headache, nausea, etc) and the book provides several points that may help, along with a description of the points, their names and what they are specifically helpful for. The book also provides detailed instructions and photos to help you get the proper position of the points. Very easy to use and understand."  |
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The Trigger Point Therapy Work Book Most acupuncture points coincide with the “trigger points” described by Janet G. Travell, MD, whose textbook, "Myofascial Pain & Dysfunction: The Trigger Point Manual" is widely used at pain management centers in the Western world. The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook "This is an excellent book (with medical references) that does a very good job of helping you get rid of pain..." Customer "After a full year of severe dysfunction of my right hand, arm, and particularly my right thumb THE TRIGGER POINT THERAPY WORKBOOK revealed to me the astonishing fact that most of my trouble was being caused by 'trigger points' in the scalene muscles of my neck and also in the area above my clavicle. What could I do about it? Simply massage them away - within half an hour of hitting the correct locations my right thumb (and hand and arm) seemed to heal by about 60%! The rest of the healing took maybe 3 more weeks of finding these things and methodically deactivating them..." A Customer |
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